If there is a single word that defines the 2015 K-12 education conversation in Colorado and the United States, that word is “testing.” While testing and evaluations help set critical floors for quality, smart reforms can lift students even higher.

Jefferson County Students First executive director Sheila Atwell discusses the school board’s now performance pay plan, the goals to increase student achievement, and the true story behind the highly publicized teacher sickouts and student protests.

Colorado State Board of Education chair Paul Lundeen talks about his goal to give schools and districts more flexibility in the standardized testing regime, while keeping academic results transparent and comparable and the system accountable to parents and taxpayers.

Kevin Larsen, president of the Douglas County school board, discusses the rationale behind his district’s push for more flexibility around state testing requirements. House Bill 1202 was proposed to give the state authority to waive certain student assessments for high-performing school districts, though the bill since has been changed to call for a study of the situation.

Dr. Paul Peterson, director of Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance, makes the case that American schools and students are lagging in performance, with potentially harmful effects for the future economy.

Tyler Hart of Parent Led Reform discusses Colorado’s growing anti-Common Core movement, and how to take on the challenges of withdrawing from the flawed and controversial national standards and testing.

An American Family Radio News (One News Now) report on the Douglas County Board of Education’s resolution opposing Common Core featured comments by senior education policy analyst Ben DeGrow: “Douglas County is saying that they want to strive for highest academic standards and expectations possible for their students, and the Common Core is not appropriate […]

Former assistant education secretary Bill Evers explains why he continues to resist the strong push for Common Core national education standards. The quality of standards and questions about federal influence of classroom curricula have fueled pushback in several states. Though the Common Core was adopted here two years ago, Colorado may be next, as the State Board of Education has sought input from national experts.

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About Education Policy Center

The Independence Institute has been a leader in addressing the pressing issues facing education in modern America. The Institute’s Education Policy Center promotes issues such as school choice, school accountability, and teachers’ rights through its in-house publications, print media, Internet, radio, television, and legislative briefings. Calling for greater involvement of parents in the role of educating children, this Colorado think tank was the first in the state to promote ideas such as educational vouchers, charter schools, educator accountability, and public school report cards. Read More »